Would appreciate some advice on this topic.What happens when building a house in Thailand. Can you own the house and land or do you have to form a company to own both. My friend has had a girlfriend for 3 years, very happy together then out of the blue
she tells him a farang she been seeing on and off wants to buy her a 15million baht house! She tells my friend the land will be in her name so what if she gets sick of him or he with she. Who will get posession if all fails?

A farang cannot own land. Farang couples can own property by setting up a company - but still don't own the land, which is leased.
So this Thai lady owns the land regardless of who pays for the property to be built on it. Pretty much end of story really.

You're right Big Boy. If you have a Thai wife that you are certain that you can trust, then by all means by a house in her name... otherwise buy a condo because a lease or a fake company are eventually probably going to be investigated by the government with a bad outcome. I've known at least 20 guys who've bought a house in their wife's or girlfriend's name who have lost everything when she decided to leave him so beware... condo is best because foreigner can own it,

My brain is like an Internet browser; 12 tabs are open and 5 of them are not responding, there's a GIF playing in an endless loop,... and where is that annoying music coming from?

If you have a Thai wife then should you divorce, then the property is split 50-50 along with any other assets bought within the marriage regardless of who paid for them. Believe me. I have a court order showing that I own half of the property/land that I'm still living in. The law does not differentiate between Thai and farang although there are many on both sides that think it does.
If the house and land are in your girlfriend's name (not married) then the farang partner should seek a usufruct for life which gives him ownership until he dies. Nobody but a judge can cancel that. With a usufruct, he can even lease the property out to yet another party. That lease could go on beyond the period of the usufruct (usufructee dies) and is still valid.
There are several ways to protect yourself but few do.

What surprises me is all Farang that put everything they have in one "hole". I've been married for 10 years and we have a very easy agreement. Everything we have in Thailand is hers, everything I have in my home country is mine. All that, was mine to begin with anyway, before I met her.

If we should split up/divorce I think it is just fair that she is not left empty handed. That's why she will keep house, car etc. in Thailand. (But no plan for any divorce though)

I know that many can't afford to do this, so they need to take some precautions, but honestly is it fair that you set it up so you own everything and your long loved wife will get nada if you break up?

I for sure don't think so.

And in additon my salary is from an overseas company and most of my savings / assets are in my home country so I would still be well off if the worst should happen, and my wife would be very well off too with assests in Thailand way way worth more than she ever could have dreamed of.

This is just me and how we do things. And my wife is very pleased as far as I know. Why shouldn't she be? I take very good care of her

"Two possibilities exist:
Either we are alone in the universe or we are not.
Both are equally terrifying."
Arthur C. Clarke

huahin4ever wrote:What surprises me is all Farang that put everything they have in one "hole". I've been married for 10 years and we have a very easy agreement. Everything we have in Thailand is hers, everything I have in my home country is mine. All that, was mine to begin with anyway, before I met her.

That's all very well if you already have assets in your home country. Not so easy if you left your home country with nothing.

Thai courst will split 50-50 these days pretty much. However, I also don't understand why so many foreigners invest 'way over their heads' and roll the dice with everything they have at what really is fairly short notice after arriving here.

Don't spend anymore money than you can happily walk away from and mark down to experience as money has a nasty habit of disappearing here and things can change mighty fast in many ways that can be unfavourable to you.

If you are at all unsure about anything then don't buy or buy a condo.

Don't read beauty magazines...they will only make you feel ugly - Baz Lerman